Rumors about a possible Google Pixel Fold have been circulating for a while now, and despite reports that the device resides in the limbo between active development and cancellation, we keep hearing tidbits of info pertaining to the mysterious foldable Pixel.
Well, one of the recent pieces of proof that Google is actually working on a foldable phone could be hiding in the beta version of Gboard, which has recently scored a handy new split mode. It splits the keyboard in two, with the keys going as much to the left and ride side of the device as possible and ensuring easy thumb access to the keys. This could certainly come in handy when handling a large foldable phone, for example.
Of course, we shouldn't be taking this as a dead giveaway that Google is testing this functionality due to its supposed Pixel foldable. On the contrary, it's commanded by the realities of the phone market - foldable phones are also a couple of generations old and are only poised to become more popular with time, so it makes sense for Google to finally update Gboard with the necessary split-screen mode for foldable devices. Have in mind that this feature is still only available in the Gboard beta, so it could take some time before it hits the Play Store officially.
After all, it's one of the most popular virtual keyboards on Android, and up until now, users who wanted to use a split-screen keyboard on their foldable phones had to resort to either Samsung Keyboard or Microsoft's SwiftKey.
Surely, as many users on Reddit point out, the new functionality mode would certainly require you to retrain your muscle memory a bit, but it'd apparently be worth it to hardcore Gboard users.
And yet, we can certainly speculate that software will hold the door open for hardware in the near future, and we could be seeing Google preparing all of its core apps for the upcoming Google Pixel Fold. So far, we've heard that the phone could probably make an appearance at the dedicated Pixel 7/7 Pro announcement event in Q4 2022, where Google is expected to lift the veil off the mysterious foldable. The phone could come with a 120Hz 7.6-inch OLED display that fold similarly to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold family.
As we know more, so will you!
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Peter, an experienced tech enthusiast at PhoneArena, is captivated by all things mobile. His impartial reviews and proficiency in Android systems offer readers valuable insights. Off-duty, he delves into the latest cryptocurrency trends and enjoys sci-fi and video games.
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